Chocolate and Almond Butter Puddings

, from Issue #73. July, 2017
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Chocolate and Almond Butter Puddings

Dark chocolate works well with all of the nut butters so use your own favourite flavour.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons very soft butter
1 tablespoon cocoa
Puddings
125 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
125 grams butter, chopped
3 large eggs
75 grams caster sugar
pinch of sea salt
65 grams plain flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
6 teaspoons almond butter, well stirred
lightly whipped cream and cocoa, to serve

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Butter 6 x 150ml-capacity ramekins. Add the cocoa to one ramekin and turn to coat the inside, tapping the remaining cocoa into the next ramekin and keep repeating. Chill until ready to fill.

Puddings: Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Don’t let the base touch the water. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt together until very thick and pale. Whisk in the cooled chocolate until thick and smooth.

Sift over the combined flour and cocoa and fold in, making sure there are no pockets of unmixed flour.

Divide half the mixture evenly between the ramekins then carefully place a spoonful of nut butter in the centre. Top with the remaining chocolate mixture and smooth the tops.

Place on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes or until risen and firm on the top but still a little soft in the centre when lightly shaken.

To serve: Gently run a knife around the inside of the ramekins. Place a small plate over the top of each pudding and invert both together. Using a tea towel, carefully lift off the ramekin and serve immediately with a dollop of cream and a pinch of cocoa.